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Waterway Walks
Index of Walks by the Grand Canal
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*** N.B: Read Warnings
on Welcome page.
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(Map not for navigation)
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Walks by the Grand Canal are described in a number of good books
and pamphlets. The following is a short guide to a selection of
descriptions of walks along and close to the Grand Canal.
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The Grand Canal Way
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 Up to 127 km |
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Fewer, Michael. 1996. The Way-marked Trails of Ireland. Gill & Macmillan
See Chapter 7, The Grand Canal Way. This twenty two page
chapter describes a 130km walk along the Grand Canal from Ringsend
in Dublin to Shannon Harbour on the Shannon. The walk is divided
into eight sections varying in length from 10 km to 29 km with
estimated walking times varying from 2.5 hrs to 7.5 hrs.
See also:
- Hiking Along Ireland's Grand Canal - an extensive and most informative description of a hike from Dublin to Shannon Harbour. The hiker and author is Bill Matthews - The Grand Canal Hiker from the States.
- Walks along sections of the Grand Canal Way in County Kildare described in Kenny et al below.
- Sallins to Digby Bridge, the on-line version of a pamphlet published by the Kildare branch of the IWAI. The walk provides an interesting introduction to the Grand Canal Way.
Guide to the Grand Canal of Ireland. The Guide includes maps showing the roads and towpaths along the canal.
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Dublin (51kb)
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Milltown feeder
to the Pollardstown Fen
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18 km; 4.5 hrs; Start: Map 49 N759246
By canal on roads and paths; Historic; Flora and fauna |
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Fewer, Michael. 1997. Irish Waterside Walks. Gill & Macmillan
See Walk 53: Milltown feeder to the Pollardstown Fen.
Caution: This walk ends at the Point of Gibralter on Pollardstown Fen.
It is dangerous to explore beyond this point due to the presence of deep overgrown
drains.
The walk may be shortened considerably by starting at either of the
bridges at Milltown (Map 55 N757180 or N759175).
The end point of the walk is slightly disappointing ending at the
confluence of two feeder canals. Hence one may experience a slight sense of
frustration at not really getting to the the source of the feeder.
Apart from this minor disappointment the walk is very enjoyable.
See also the description of the walk along the Milltown Feeder in
Kenny et al below.
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Milltown Feeder (47kb)
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Towpath trails
in County Kildare
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By canal on roads and paths; Historic; Flora and fauna |
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Kenny, Liam; Sinnott, Eamon. Towpath Trails. County Kildare Vocational Education Committee
This pocket diary size walker's guide to the canal towpaths of County Kildare
includes attractively presented descriptions of the following walks along and close to the
Grand Canal:
Naas Branch - Sallins/Leinster Aqueduct/Naas (5.5 km, 1.5 hrs)
Hazelhatch to Sallins (13 km, 3.5 hrs)
Sallins to Robertstown (11km, 3 hrs)
Robertstown to Edenderry (21 km, 5.5 hrs)
The above three walks are also described in Fewer (1996).
The Milltown Feeder (8 km, 2.5 hrs)
The above walk is also described in Fewer (1997).
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Horses beside Naas Branch (51kb)
Robertstown (36kb)
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The Kildare branch of the IWAI published a pamphlet that describes a walk from Sallins to Digby Bridge. This covers a section of the walk from Sallins to Robertstown mentioned above. The Leinster Aqueduct is one of a number of interesting features of this walk.
Other suggestions:
Circular walks from Lowtown. Desk research suggests two
circular walks commencing at Lowtown (Map 49 N778254):
- Leave Lowtown walking along the northern bank of the Barrow Line. Continue
to New Bridge (N765251). Turn right and walk along the R415 to Bond Bridge (N762262)
on the Grand Canal. Cross the bridge, turn right, and return to Lowtown on
the towpath. Distance 5 km.
- A longer and more interesting walk. Leave Lowtown walking along
the northern bank of the Barrow Line. Continue past New Bridge and Ballyteague
Castle to the junction at N749240. Turn right and using the map as a guide
navigate along roads and a forest track to the towpath at N740265 passing
a raised bog on the way. Turn right and follow the towpath to Shee Bridge. Cross the bridge
and return to Lowtown on the towpath on the north bank. Distance 12 km.
Maps:
Ordnance Survey of Ireland, Discovery Series 1:50,000
- Map 53, From Shannon Harbour to near L'estrange bridge
- Map 47, From L'estrange bridge to Ferbane
- Map 48, From west of Derry Bridge to east of Daingean
- Map 49, From west of Rhode bridge to 15th Lock
Milltown Feeder from Lowtown to Hill of Allen
- Map 50, From east of 15th lock to Dublin
- Map 55, Milltown Feeder from south of Hill of Allen to Pollardstown Fen
See also: Guide to the Grand Canal of Ireland
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Leinster Aqueduct (44kb)
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Milltown Feeder (47kb)
Horses beside Naas Branch (51kb)
